Hello folks. I am doing a presentation to my local fire department on first response to aircraft accidents. Not to impugn the Cirrus or the people who fly them, but I need information on the CAPS system, and hopefully some photos of the door on the fuselage from which it deploys. A detail of its physical location is needed too. Fire/rescue workers need to know this information in case they need to cut into a fuselage to extricate a person. Cutting into a CAPS, or even if it were to accidently deploy could have deadly consequences. I am doing this presentation on Wednesday, 3/19, so prompt responses would be greatly appreciated.
The CAPS deploys from its cubbyhole behind the bulkhead at the rear of the baggage compartment. It fires out the top of the fuselage, aft of the rear window. The hatch that is blown out when the rocket fires is not visible, since it is painted over.
Besides avoiding the rocket, rescue workers should also avoid cutting or snagging the CAPS cable, since this could cause accidental activation. The CAPS cable runs from a handle in the roof over the front seats, through the roof, to one side of the rear window, and down to the rocket.
If the plane is upright, the rescuers could first attempt to open either door by pushing in on the door handle at the center to lever out the handle end, then grabbing the handle end and turning it in the direction marked “OPEN”.
If the doors do not open, or if the plane is not upright, the windows on the door can be broken out by striking them with a hammer or axe ner the edge. There is a placard on the window noting this.
An occupant can be unbelted from his four point harness by releasing the conventional seatbelt buckle in the center of his waist.
The easiest way to remove rear seat occupants is by tilting the front seatbacks forward. There is a lever on the left and right side of each front seat that releases the seatback lock.
Also, please see this http://www.cirrusdesign.com/downloads/pdf/nr_10_04_02_1.pdf>press. The Cirrus [web site used to have an unsolicited testimonial from the fire chief of Lewisville, TX, about the parachute when it saved the life of a Cirrus pilot, but I can’t find it. If anyone will email me the address of the letter, I’ll be glad to post it.
I don’t think that attachment went through. Could you please try again? Thank you so much to you and the other people who’ve posted. It has already doubled my knowledge base. I appreciate it.